So, technical difficulties have put the brakes on the blog I wanted to post today (and yes, it was the Fountain Society blog. Seems my opinion and that book just aren't meant to be!) so I decided to go a little introspective and discuss a feeling that started to wash over me a few years ago. Somehow, I almost always seem to feel like I wind up backing the wrong horse. Not in the literal sense, mind. I don't gamble and know so little about sport I'm surprised I know which ball goes with which sport, and which sports don't have balls to begin with, but in the pop culture sense.
Now I'm pretty sure this feeling is just a big old pile of nonsense that my brain invented to account for the times where I've felt very much outside the groove. Afterall, I love the Marvel movies and who doesn't? But even then I loved the Edward Norton Hulk movie much more than some of the other, more beloved ones (indeed, I've seen Incredible Hulk torn to shreds and taken for granted as a terrible movie so many times it makes me sad) and while I enjoy The Avengers, I still think it's weaker than the standalone movies that led up too it.
This extends out to television and even ridiculous things like collectibles too. I thought Being Human handled it's complete cast change superbly and I was super invested in seeing where they were going with it. Turns out where they were going was nowhere as it was cancelled shortly after. When I was collecting the DC figurine collection, there was always some level of... I don't want to call it despair, but fatigue that it seemed to live in the shadow of its older brother the Marvel one. True at the end there was only a twenty figurine difference, but it always seemed as though the fanbase was a little more involved and enthusiastic on the other side of the fence.
And I think that's what it comes down too. The perception that the things I like simply aren't as popular as or successful as I feel they should be. Even Doctor Who, which dominates the Earth right now, leaves me cringing because I much prefer the Moffat/Smith era over any other modern era and yet we seem to be in the midst of a backlash at the moment. Not only the usual RTD and David Tennant lovefests, but accusations of sexism and poor writing techniques that, most of the time, RTD actively revelled in. If one more person claims that Moffat is a poorer writer because uses deus ex machinas as a crutch when Davies essentially ended a whole storyline with the 'I do believe in fairies!' sequence from Peter Pan turning the Doctor into space Jesus... I may have to start slapping people.
So, what is there to be done about this niggling little irrational feeling in the back of my head? Is it just a greater symptom of nerd culture, always being on the outside track while the rest of the world enjoys their long running soap operas and all dominating football broadcasts? Well, maybe. But maybe it's also about adjustment of expectation and focusing more on the things you personally love about something than what other people hate about it.
Sure it would've been nice to have more Being Human, but what we got was still some of the best British genre television I've ever seen. Yes the Marvel collection may have been more popular, but I still have over one hundred fantastic figurines and a lot of fond memories from getting them! As for Moffat's Who, four words - Day of the Doctor. And everything that surrounded it.
It seems the universe is also giving me something of a helping hand. You may recall my surprise at In The Flesh getting a second series (something I still haven't managed to catch due to my lengthy hospital stays) and further than this, Utopia is back too! Two highly interesting, really clever sci-fi series that I thought were gone after the first round and there they are, both continuing on. Add to that the recent news that Pacific Rim is lined up for a sequel and I'm a happy bunny. Sure, it'll never hit the giddy heights of Transformers money, but if it did, if it compromised to be that popular, it wouldn't be what I loved. And that's what's important, the things I love may never set the world on fire and they may be killed in their prime, but at least they were bloody excellent while they lasted!
Showing posts with label Doctor Who. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doctor Who. Show all posts
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
The Day of the Daleks!
I received a parcel today. It was as tall as my torso and cavernous enough that I'm fairly sure if I opened the bottom of it I could wear it as a cardboard breastplate. I haven't actually tried this, dear reader, but know that I'm tempted too. Really, really tempted too.
I was expecting a delivery, and if it was what I suspected I'd actually been expecting this delivery for months. I felt the twinge of excitement as the post van rolled up outside, I was at the door before the postman had even knocked, but when I saw the box my spirits sank somewhat. This couldn't be it. It was far too big, unreasonably big. I had no idea what it could actually be otherwise, but I knew it couldn't be what I was so eagerly awaiting. Upon opening the top, my spirits rose once more as two figurines rested on yet another box inside. I removed the forms of Omega and a Cyberman from the top, encased in moulded plastic like Han Solo in carbonite, and pried the inner box from it's larger brother.
I almost sliced my finger open getting into it, but upon peeling back the cardboard flaps Angels began to sing and somewhere a tinny voice demanded extermination!
Inside, in more pieces than he should have been (but nothing a quick ring of super-glue couldn't fix) lay the Emperor Dalek. The single most ambitious figure I've ever seen Eaglemoss produce. For those who don't know, Eaglemoss are a publishing company that have been producing partwork magazines (fortnightly magazines that build up, issue by issue, into a larger whole) for longer than I can remember. I was rummaging in my wardrobe a few months back, and found a few issues of Spinechiller magazine, a collection of horror stories that came with pop up cardboard monsters, and was surprised to see their logo on the front. In recent years they've been involved with a number of licenses from popular fantasy and science fiction franchises including Harry Potter, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings and a number of comic book themed projects for DC and Marvel. Late last year they released their latest venture, The Doctor Who Figurine Collection and I love it.
Or at least, I've come to love it. My excitement for this collection has been a slow burning thing, that only really sparked off a few months ago. I've been with this collection since day one, and for years it's been something that I've dreamed the company would do, and yet as the figurines rolled in I was finding that I wasn't as excited as I thought I'd be. I'd take the figures out of the box, admire the craftsmanship, and flick through the magazine but I wasn't eagerly awaiting the arrival of each one like I had with the DC collection in the past. It wasn't until I began to look for previews of future figurines that a realisation struck me...
All the Cybermen figurines we've seen are almost in the exact same pose. From Invasion, right through to Nightmare in Silver they have this determined, unstoppable, marching gait that wheedled it's way into my imagination and threw up vivid images of an entire shelf of Cybermen lurching forward, blank faced and gleaming silver, in an unstoppable march. It was a powerful image, and I realised that it was the first thought I'd had towards the logistics of displaying this collection.
While the DC Collection had been easy to organise by team and title association (all of Batman's villains go with Batman, all of the Green Lanterns go together, etc.) Doctor Who contains so many monsters and side characters that stand alone, that it had been harder for me to think of them in terms of groups. There's no rhythm or reason to putting a Silent, an Ice Warrior and a Silurian together. But there is a very sound, and somewhat unnerving, logic to an army of silver warriors striding off your shelf. Once I had this down, the ideas just kept coming.
You see, I've dabbled in a couple of lines from Eaglemoss in my time. I have a couple of Hobbit figures here, a handful of Batmobiles there and even a shelf of Marvel figurines proudly on display. But my true love was the DC Figurine Collection. A series of lead figures based on the DC comics universe. If you pushed me to proclaim my allegiance to one of the big comics companies, I'd pick DC every time. You can roll out the old 'But Marvel's characters are more human and interesting than DC's!' argument all you like, and when it comes to the big draws you may well be right. But DC always had the best, obscure characters. The New Gods, the Doom Patrol, the Legion of Superheroes, Flash's Rogues, I love them all and the idea of having the entire DC Universe on my shelf, at an affordable price point? That was like a dream come true.
Of course, it also helps that despite a few quality control and customer service fumbles, Eaglemoss collections are usually quality products. The magazine is a thing of beauty, that you can learn all sorts of interesting tid-bits from and I'm pretty sure the editors behind the collection have some form of insanity. Not only did they produce a glossy covered small book for the TARDIS magazine, but the model that needed a box big enough for me to wear to get to my door safely? Is the FREE GIFT FOR SUBSCRIBERS. I can't even imagine the logistics it took to make and deliver that thing to so many people, with minimal breakages, and the idea that they're giving it away for free is just beyond the pale. I remember the free subscriber gift for the DC Collection (a much more modest Batman statue) eventually came up for sale in limited numbers at Forbidden Planet. It's going to be interesting, then, to see what price they actually pin on this if something similar ever happens.
Long may this kind of insanity, and indeed the collection, continue though! For more information on the Who collection, check out their Facebook page. It's surprisingly useful for news, answering queries and just a little bit of Who related fun. Also be sure to check out Doctor Who Merchandise for news and information, as well as my old stomping ground the Superhero Figurine Forum for almost all things Eaglemoss. For my part though, I have a giant model to admire and magazines to read!
I was expecting a delivery, and if it was what I suspected I'd actually been expecting this delivery for months. I felt the twinge of excitement as the post van rolled up outside, I was at the door before the postman had even knocked, but when I saw the box my spirits sank somewhat. This couldn't be it. It was far too big, unreasonably big. I had no idea what it could actually be otherwise, but I knew it couldn't be what I was so eagerly awaiting. Upon opening the top, my spirits rose once more as two figurines rested on yet another box inside. I removed the forms of Omega and a Cyberman from the top, encased in moulded plastic like Han Solo in carbonite, and pried the inner box from it's larger brother.
I almost sliced my finger open getting into it, but upon peeling back the cardboard flaps Angels began to sing and somewhere a tinny voice demanded extermination!
Inside, in more pieces than he should have been (but nothing a quick ring of super-glue couldn't fix) lay the Emperor Dalek. The single most ambitious figure I've ever seen Eaglemoss produce. For those who don't know, Eaglemoss are a publishing company that have been producing partwork magazines (fortnightly magazines that build up, issue by issue, into a larger whole) for longer than I can remember. I was rummaging in my wardrobe a few months back, and found a few issues of Spinechiller magazine, a collection of horror stories that came with pop up cardboard monsters, and was surprised to see their logo on the front. In recent years they've been involved with a number of licenses from popular fantasy and science fiction franchises including Harry Potter, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings and a number of comic book themed projects for DC and Marvel. Late last year they released their latest venture, The Doctor Who Figurine Collection and I love it.
Or at least, I've come to love it. My excitement for this collection has been a slow burning thing, that only really sparked off a few months ago. I've been with this collection since day one, and for years it's been something that I've dreamed the company would do, and yet as the figurines rolled in I was finding that I wasn't as excited as I thought I'd be. I'd take the figures out of the box, admire the craftsmanship, and flick through the magazine but I wasn't eagerly awaiting the arrival of each one like I had with the DC collection in the past. It wasn't until I began to look for previews of future figurines that a realisation struck me...
All the Cybermen figurines we've seen are almost in the exact same pose. From Invasion, right through to Nightmare in Silver they have this determined, unstoppable, marching gait that wheedled it's way into my imagination and threw up vivid images of an entire shelf of Cybermen lurching forward, blank faced and gleaming silver, in an unstoppable march. It was a powerful image, and I realised that it was the first thought I'd had towards the logistics of displaying this collection.
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| Image from http://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/ |
The Time Lords? Grouped around the TARDIS! Easy!
And when I saw the scale of the Emperor Dalek I knew exactly where my Dalek display was headed too.
It was all falling wonderfully into place. A shelf of Cybermen, accompanied by an army of Daleks. That is no exaggeration, we're only fifteen issues in and as you can already see I have four recruits to my legion of pepper pot Nazis so far, with many more soon to come! With ideas for displays now buzzing in my brain, I eagerly awaited the delivery of each issue and excitedly tore through the magazines. I'd found what I loved about this collection, what was going to define it, and I was extremely happy. Although I can imagine that many of you out there are puzzled right now. Unable to understand how I can get so excited over little lumps of resin shaped into characters from one of my favourite TV shows. Well, the short answer is that it's a mostly solid product that comes with an informative magazine and I'm a massive fan. Fans are irrational and do strange things, it's why we draw their descriptor from the word fanatic.
If you want the long answer, then I'm afraid we need to go a little more in-depth and step back in time!
You see, I've dabbled in a couple of lines from Eaglemoss in my time. I have a couple of Hobbit figures here, a handful of Batmobiles there and even a shelf of Marvel figurines proudly on display. But my true love was the DC Figurine Collection. A series of lead figures based on the DC comics universe. If you pushed me to proclaim my allegiance to one of the big comics companies, I'd pick DC every time. You can roll out the old 'But Marvel's characters are more human and interesting than DC's!' argument all you like, and when it comes to the big draws you may well be right. But DC always had the best, obscure characters. The New Gods, the Doom Patrol, the Legion of Superheroes, Flash's Rogues, I love them all and the idea of having the entire DC Universe on my shelf, at an affordable price point? That was like a dream come true.
The character you're seeing to your left right now is Ambush Bug. Ambush Bug is, for better or worse, my favourite superhero. He's fairly obscure, but I always believed he had enough of a cult following to gain a place in the collection. So I campaigned and I made impassioned pleas and I may, just may, have made a few sneaky (read: very overt) suggestions to then editor and now very good friend Sven Wilson to include him. Eventually it happened, and I can't help but take a measure of pride in the finished product. It's absurd, I know. I didn't sculpt him, I didn't paint him, but I did input a few design ideas and I think that if I hadn't been out there, shouting into the darkness, making the case for this cult hero, this figurine wouldn't exist today.
And this is exactly what I loved about the DC Collection. It truly was a representation of the entire universe, in miniature, and the doors were wide open to anyone. No character too new, no character too obscure, the big guns would happily rub shoulders with the little guys in a way that no other collection of the same quality was managing. And as a fan who loved the lesser known characters as much as the characters everyone loves, this was important to me. It's why I was excited in the first place, and I truly believe that the DC Collection lived up to this ideal right up until it's all too premature end. An end I'm still in two minds about. On the on hand the new costume designs from the New 52 were making the collection an inconsistent hodge-podge, but on the other hand for the first time in the history of the collection both Wildstorm and Vertigo were wide open, and with most of the big guns down, the list of characters to choose from was more exciting than ever.
The excitement I feel for the Doctor Who collection is entirely different, though. I think the reason I wasn't initially as involved in the collection was because I don't really have much investment in what characters come next. Even the most banal of characters or monsters usually have interesting designs. The Vashta Nerada spacesuit is on it's way soon, a monster that I never felt had all that much impact on the show and is really just the animated remains of an archaeologist controlled by dark bacteria. There's also the Siltheen, which I think are some of the worst alien concepts to crawl from the Russell T. Davies era but I'll be damned if they both don't look fantastic!
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| Image from http://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/ |
The only thing I'd love is for the editors to relax their iron focus on Time Lords and monsters and let the companions get some love too, but beyond that I probably wouldn't be able to give you a top ten list of characters I want for this collection like I could routinely rattle off for the DC line. No, the excitement lies in seeing the history of the show come to life on my shelf. When I went to the Doctor Who Exhibition in London, they had these marvellous displays that would depict Daleks, Sontarans, Ice Warriors and Cybermen through the ages. All standing side by side, showing a direct comparison through the, then, almost fifty years of the show. When I had my epiphany about the Cybermen, it brought into focus that I could have something very much like this in miniature on my shelf. A time line of the various designs throughout the show's history, and all I'd have to do to see it is tilt my head up from my desk. As a fan, it's a truly intoxicating idea. And no, I don't care if you judge me for it.
Of course, it also helps that despite a few quality control and customer service fumbles, Eaglemoss collections are usually quality products. The magazine is a thing of beauty, that you can learn all sorts of interesting tid-bits from and I'm pretty sure the editors behind the collection have some form of insanity. Not only did they produce a glossy covered small book for the TARDIS magazine, but the model that needed a box big enough for me to wear to get to my door safely? Is the FREE GIFT FOR SUBSCRIBERS. I can't even imagine the logistics it took to make and deliver that thing to so many people, with minimal breakages, and the idea that they're giving it away for free is just beyond the pale. I remember the free subscriber gift for the DC Collection (a much more modest Batman statue) eventually came up for sale in limited numbers at Forbidden Planet. It's going to be interesting, then, to see what price they actually pin on this if something similar ever happens. Long may this kind of insanity, and indeed the collection, continue though! For more information on the Who collection, check out their Facebook page. It's surprisingly useful for news, answering queries and just a little bit of Who related fun. Also be sure to check out Doctor Who Merchandise for news and information, as well as my old stomping ground the Superhero Figurine Forum for almost all things Eaglemoss. For my part though, I have a giant model to admire and magazines to read!
Saturday, 4 January 2014
A year in Retrospect! Or, wot Aies did with 2013!
So, here we are again! Or at least, here I am again. I still haven't really shared this around publicly, but I rather enjoyed my last foray into mad rambling and think I'd like to do it again. In my head I'm telling myself that I'd like to do one a week, but I'm not really sure if each week will provide something sufficient for me to get worked up about and write on. I had, for example, a great idea for this week that relied on something rather special arriving on my doorstep. Alas, that didn't happen, so we're pushing that back a few months - But I did start to think on what I could do instead.
Generally I'm not a nostalgic person. I'm not a huge fan of looking back at my own life, especially my childhood, and often cringe at photographs of myself that are before a certain dateline. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not because my childhood was in anyway tragic or terrible. My parents are wonderful people, and I owe the very fact that I'm able to sit here and type this out right now to their love and their persistence. I just generally feel that the person I was then doesn't quite reflect who I am now, and beyond that, having grown up with a rather debilitating heart condition, there's not an awful lot that's exciting or fun to look back on.
With that last thought in mind, and with the year only a few days old, I pondered on doing an end of year retrospective. Originally it was going to be a run-down of my favourite media released in 2013. Favourite film, game, TV show, you get the idea. But the more I thought, the more I realised that I never exactly indulged many of my great loves last year (comic books, music, books, for example) and it would feel criminal to leave them on the wayside, and also that this year wasn't really a year defined by those things. I want to look back at the things that were exciting, that helped shape the year for me, that defined the trends that crept their way into my life. After all, last year was kind of a strange one because it's caught between two of the biggest trips I've undertaken in my adult life. The first to Tucson in 2012, and the second to Seattle and beyond this year. By comparison, it would be easy to write last year off as the dull one - The inbetween days. Well, let's see how the old girl did, shall we?!
You know what, for other people this may not even register - And considering all I said about about excitement! And meaningful events! This... May leave you scratching your head. But let me tell you something, as I look back upon the year? This little metal guy up here may have had a deceptively big influence on it.
So, let's break things down, shall we? Back in February last year, I decided to pitch in for a Kickstarter campaign for an expansion to West Wind's Empire of the Dead line of miniatures. Now, at this point I hadn't painted or even been a part of the modelling hobby in years. I was an old Games Workshop victim, having put together armies of Space Marines, Chaos Marines, Orks and dabbled in other things in days of yore, but recently? I mean, I knew where all my modelling material was, but hadn't truly touched a paintbrush or modelling file for a good, long time.
(Image taken from Steampunk Miniatures Review)
But there was something about Empire that just reeled me in. It's a Gothic horror skirmish game with steampunk elements that draws heavy on pulp fiction, penny dreadfuls and Victorian literature. I threw far more money at it than I should, and have since received a good sixty to eight minis to work on as a result, but during that time I thought 'I should get something to work on to make sure that, you know, I can still actually do this!'
So I picked up Man-Ape. A special character from the line, who is an escapee from the Circ Du Noir. Why Man-Ape? Well, he's a great gorilla in a top hat, so why wouldn't I?! And you know what, I not only had a blast, but really surprised myself as well. I decided to be brave and go completely off the suggested colour scheme and paint him as an Albino gorilla instead, and although mine looks nowhere near as good as the sample above - He turned out so well that I gained a new found confidence in my abilities. Miniature painting became a great source of stress relief and pride for me, and although not everything I've painted has turned out all that grand and I feel like there's more I could do to improve, it's thanks to this first success that I gained a hobby that would, in it's own small way, become an important refuge for me last year. One that I certainly look forward to picking up with a vengeance in the this new year.
Another thing that would have probably been a blink and you'll miss it moment in other people's year, but upon looking back came to symbolise some good times last year! 2012 was, most definitely, the year that Tabletop gaming came to creep into and dominate my leisure time, especially when hanging out with my friends, and that was something that stayed very strong in 2013. International Tabletop Day, though? Was honestly one of the most eye-opening gaming sessions I had last year. To set the scene, International Tabletop Day is the creation of Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton and the team over at Geek and Sundry, it's a yearly event where everyone gets together and plays tabletop games and has ridiculous amounts of fun in the process. Last year it fell on the 30th of March and... All my friends were otherwise engaged.
So I took myself down to my local Forbidden Planet, and had a day gaming with a very small group of people (I think only three of us actually stuck it out until closing time, with another couple ghosting in and out) and some very charming, very dedicated staff. Let me tell you, it was a blast. I got introduced to some great new games, enjoyed a whole different dynamic compared to when I was playing with my friends and got to fight for the honour of Real Cheese in a game of Resistance, and who could really ask for more than that? Why is this so important, aside from being a really fun day? Well, mainly because it really gave me the confidence to go forth and enjoy several more gaming days, with a wider variety of people, since and to be honest, acts as my representative for all of those great gaming days throughout the year. Even when I was at my lowest, recovering from an operation, having not left the house in weeks - My friends were still good enough to get together, crack open Betrayal at the House on the Hill, order some pizzas and just have a fantastic time. Because that, at the end of the day, is what tabletop gaming is all about - One of the most fun ways to connect with people, even if those people are complete strangers to you!
So last year, one of my best, and most charismatic, quirky and creative, friends got married. Now unless you go to dozens of weddings a year, which I don't, this would be enough to be a highlight of anyone's year - But oh no! It doesn't end there. For you see, it seems like it's impossible for me to go to a wedding that's actually local. In fact, the day I do go to one I'm going to be disappointed, because I've done such a marvellous job dodging the whole thing. My next wedding, for example, is in Denver, which for the trip alone is sure to be extraordinary. Last year, however, was only slightly more mundane - As it took me to both Dublin and Kildare in Ireland.
Now, I'd never been to Ireland before - In fact, I've never been to a European country before outside of the United Kingdom itself. I'd set my expectations at 'A lot like Britain, but with more Irish stuff' and to a degree that was true, but to an even greater degree it wasn't. Dublin was a beast all it's own, with more in common with other European capitals (according to my good friend and travelling companion, with the appropriate moniker of Wanderlust) than anything in the UK. I found it somewhat surreal and disorientating at first, especially as when we arrived they were celebrating the last days of Oktoberfest (at the tail end of September, yeah, work that one out!) and the city was full of Germans. Literally. More Germans than Irish people. Can you imagine such a thing in the UK? Even if it were for a few days, the Daily Mail would be wringing it's hands over this clear show of dominance from Brussels! But it went deeper than that. They had an overground tram system that, while not always reliable, was easy to access and stopped at every place of importance along a clearly marked out route. Newsagents, cafes and shops doubled up as sandwich bars - Often with a branded subway and a not-at-all branded Irish deli counter that served the same style of food, only looking significantly more edible, under the same roof. I can't help but feel we have things we could learn from Ireland, just... No adopting the currency. Not because I'm scared for our financial independence, but because it all looks so dull and boring and fake. The notes, in particular, are re-purposed Monopoly money and most of the coins are roughly the same shape and colour so you can never find the change you're looking for, but I digress.
After a couple of days we moved away from Dublin, and up to Kildare where we eventually made our way to the place that would be housing the main event - The Village at Lyonns, as pictured above. I'm not usually a person for natural beauty or getting away into the country, I'm far too big a fan of being connected to my friends all around the world for that, but The Village was truly a place of wonder, beauty and both natural and man made extravagance. I don't believe I have ever been somewhere quite so fancy in all my life, and certainly never stayed at such a place. I won't go into too much detail, but to paint you a picture of what we're talking about here - The teabags? They were silk. Silk! I mean, the tea itself was only of average quality, but still, that's a lot of effort for something ultimately destined for the bin.
As to the wedding itself, it was a night and day to remember. The ceremony was touching and sweet, I got to meet up with some fantastic new people, as well as some treasured old friends, including a friend I had never met face to face before. The reception was... Well, it was wild and unexpected. The entire night was set to the backdrop of a crashing waterfall outside, and featured such delights as a fire juggler, an Xbox gaming room, a balloon manipulator and an elderly magician who had the most wonderful personality. By the end of it, I was completely and utterly worn out. So I did the only smart thing, returned to Dublin and ventured to the local Goth club! Sadly my only Goth outing last year, but a good one! Most everyone was very friendly and kind, with some great music played and a huge buffet brought down from the pub above. Not an entirely wise way to round off the trip considering how done in I was, but a great one otherwise. What I ultimately got out of the Ireland trip though, was a desire to see more of Europe, especially Germany. Perhaps we can pencil that in for 2015 sometime. Yeah, sounds like a plan!
And so we get into early October, and my major, solo outing for the year. Months before, at two or three am in the morning, a post had gone up on Neil Gaiman's facebook page, stating there would be a reading of his new children's book - Fortunately the Milk - In London. Now usually, I over think these kinds of things and talk myself out of going. I wanted to go to the Doctor Who Proms for example but panicked over the logistics of getting there, finding a place to stay, travelling, etc. and in the end had a good time watching it on TV with my mum instead. But not quite as good a time as if I'd been there, I'm sure. But for this one, my tired brain took full reigns, and before I knew it the whole thing was booked, with a special edition book thrown in, and suddenly I was going to London.
So I found a reasonably priced train, managed to find a hostel on the opposite side of Westerminster Bridge to the venue - Which to my surprise and delight, was only a ten-fifteen minute walk away! Then promptly forgot about it until it was nearly time to go. I have to say, right from the off, it was an experience. To focus on the event itself first, I was worried about finding the venue. I knew it was near Westminster Abby, for example, but I had no idea *where* in all that it might be. Eventually I spotted a gaggle of quirkly dressed folk forming a line that went around the block (baring in mind I was, at this point, three quarters of an hour early!) and thought 'Yep! This must be the place!'. So I joined them, got chatting to a rather charming gentleman who became my friend for the night - Sadly I don't remember his name, but we chatting about book and TV series and Ipads for primary school children (new initiative at his son's school, I don't get it either!) and even had a drink afterwards. But the main event, oh! The main event! It was wonderful. Truly. Neil Gaiman has a voice that's made to read books, and all his co-conspirators (who were also responsible for bouts of stand-up comedy and musical interludes) rose to the occasion with their readings. The biggest surprise of the evening was Lenny Henry, playing a T-Rex at the end. The entire venue erupted in cheers when they heard him, and I think the highlight of the entire thing may have been Henry's enthusiastic interpretation of the Doctor as a dog - Before the quip to end all quips, 'The BBC would sooner cast a dog as the Doctor than a black man!'.
Overall, a magical experience capped off well by the not-quite-so-surprise appearance of Gaiman's wife, Amanda Palmer, who sang a rendition of Ukulele Anthem which... May not have been the best choice for a family event like this one. The only regret I have is one I share with Neil Gaiman himself, that there weren't more children in the audience to enjoy such a vibrant and imaginative reading themselves.
The rest of the trip was a decidedly mixed bag. The hostel I stayed at, while in a good location and with the friendliest staff I've ever encountered, was missing very basic things like sinks in their bathrooms and light switches to see what you're doing of a night. There was also a rather large kerfuffle on the train involving downed trees across overhead lines and general dishonesty and incompetence for Virgin in sorting the matter, which doubled the time of my three hour journey home. But aside from that, I had one of my most pleasant trips to London proper in a long time. I found everything I set my heart to going on, including Forbidden Planet and the Sherlock Holmes museum, never getting lost once and handling travelling on the Tube almost like a native. Almost. I also picked up my now legendary Sherlock Holmes pen, which is perhaps one of the tackiest things I bought last year but I still love it! Overall this was a great boost to my confidence, as it was proof that when I set my mind to something, I could be as independent as I ruddy well pleased and get where I needed to go. I just hope, in 2014, I bare that in mind much more often.
So, something relatively big that I don't wish to dwell on too much - On the seventh of November, I went in for major surgery. Now for most people, that would be a life changing and no doubt scary event that they would probably tell war stories of for the rest of my life. My poor mother, in fact, has recently broken her arm and it was a rather harrowing experience for... Well, both of us, especially as there was a good chance she could lose it. For me though, it was simply something I have come to regard as routine - I needed my pacemaker changed. Now, this is my... Fifth or sixth device I've had installed, the most recent being about seven or eight year ago, and while there was some measure of anxiety over the whole thing, it had almost become routine. Something I was sure they were going to get right, and they did. I'm now three months into the healing process, and although my scar is still sore, I can honestly say that the procedure seems to have gone off without a hitch.
The biggest question, however, is will it increase my quality of life? And to be honest with you, I don't know. 2013 was marked by a distinct lack of energy, frequent bouts of illness and a general sluggishness on my part. Now, I'm always struck down by bout of illness, I have no immune system, that's nothing new - But the lethargy? That was particularly pronounced. I think, had I been in better condition, I would have more exciting ventures to put on this list. I would have been to more live events, travelled to that Doctor Who prom, seen my friends in Luton a lot more often and maybe done more Goth stuff. But as it stands, that was not the case, and now I'm stuck pondering the question - Am I any better? I think the tenuous answer is yes. When I'm fit and well, I seem to be able to do more and suffer less for it, but ultimately only time will tell. Let's see how well, or poorly, I fare in this coming year and hope that being sliced and diced open for replacement parts has done me a world of good. Even if it hasn't though, this is still an important one that I can't ignore - If only for the reason that it's kept me alive! Alive to enjoy everything that's coming in the future, and alive to enjoy our last entry in this look back...
Yeah, yeah. I know. Figurines! Tabletop gaming! A TV episode?! This hardly ranks alongside 'Got Married', 'Visited the Great Wall of China', 'Skydived out of a plane into a tank of sharks!' in terms of significance or excitement. But do you know what? Sometimes the smallest things can cast the brightest light, and even putting aside all the hype and the historic significance of this episode (and also putting aside the fact I'm a huge Doctor Who nerd, see last post for reference!) Day of the Doctor was one of the things last year that I got a huge amount of pleasure out of.
Now, last year was a pretty exciting one for television, no doubt. Misfits took it's final bow, in a series that got off to a rocky start but reminded me exactly why I loved it in all it's cringe-worthy,highly inappropriate glory by the end. Dexter also came crashing to it's grand finale, which seemed to divide the fanbase into more pieces than the killer does his victims, but I found enjoyable enough - Even though it was utterly ruined by those last few seconds. Black Mirror came back for three more interesting, if slightly less savage than last series, stories of satire and woe and early to mid-2013 also saw Utopia and In the Flesh. Two thought provoking, engaging, yet highly disturbing in parts creations with a real point to make. As an aside, if you've yet to watch In The Flesh, do yourself a favour and hunt it down. It's characterisation, world and plotting is the finest in the zombie genre and the story twists pack such an emotional punch it hurts. There was also plenty for my comic book geek side to sink his teeth into, with the superb second series of Arrow and the steadily improving Agents of Shield to enjoy - And you know what? Doctor Who was no slouch last year either!
So what makes Day of the Doctor so special that I'd want to single it out as one of my top moments of the year? Especially when, for my money, Adventure in Time and Space is by far the best Who related piece of media televised last year.
Well, it's because I had the great privilege of seeing Day of the Doctor in the cinema!
Now, on it's own this isn't very significant. I went to the cinema a lot last year, and I'm sure for many people it's just your average day out. But when it came to Day of the Doctor, it was different. For one thing, it was packed. And I mean packed. Our cinema is never full, at any time of day, but for this one? I am so glad I picked up my ticket early, because the queues for the till were so long that they had to set up a concessions stand in the theatre itself. It was also an absolute joy to see so many different people from so many different walks of life there, some of them in costume, some of them (like myself) in a variety of Doctor Who themed t-shirt and one woman even wandering around in a TARDIS onesie. Ultimately though, in contrast to what I was saying about Neil Gaiman's book reading, it warmed my heart to see so many children there. The thing with geek culture is that, while it's great to see it thriving of late, we've also allowed it to become rather dominated by adults. All you have to do is look at the most recent Superman movie to see what an absolute sorry state we're in right now. We have Superman, the world's first superhero, the character on which the morality of the entire genre was built on - Starring in a film that's so far removed from what an audience of children could enjoy, that it just makes me sad. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think dumbing down for children is the way to go - Quite the opposite! But I think this is always a line that Doctor Who has walked well. It knows that the true meaning of mature isn't to just make everything grim and gritty, to have every character scowling, to wreak massive amounts of destruction because that's the only possible way to up the stakes - It's smarter than that. And it shows. Because throughout the entire episode, despite being in a cinema packed to the rafters with people, a good number of them children, do you know how many times the showing was interrupted?
Not once. Everyone was glued to that thing, wooping and letting out the obligatory 'Yes!' during the bits they were supposed too, but otherwise it had their full attention. And that, my friends, is part of the reason why the day was so magical - It showed that one piece of media could capture the imagination of so many people, of so many age groups, and ultimately touch their hearts. Soppy, but true, and an experience that will stick with me for a good, long while.
Of course, part of the reason is also the company I was in. Last year was a year of fantastic cinema outings with a very good friend of mine. We've seen everything from Thor 2, to Man of Steel, to Pacific Rim, sadly missing out on seeing the Hobbit together but again, this is a trend I very much hope to keep up in 2014 and if you're reading this, thanks for being such good company over the year, my friend! It's been a real pleasure, and like I said, long may it continue!
So, that was the year that was. There are, of course, other things that have shaped this year - Rather more tragic things that I'd rather not address in what, should be I feel, a celebration of everything good that's come and also smaller things. I was asked to be the godfather to a good friends child, who I hope to finally meet this year, and was very touched to accept. I had plenty of smaller adventures with friends old and new, and quiet, relaxed time with my family. I like to think I grew closer to my eldest brother, which is nice, and on an even smaller, but still significant note, there was blind draw and Celebrity avatars. Two wonderful, weekly endeavours with friends - One where you draw a subject with your eyes closed, the other where you change your facebook pictures to that of an actor or theme picked by another in the group. Simple things, but also things that have allowed me to engage with some very good friends of mine.
So that was 2013! What does 2014 hold? Who knows! But I hope, this year, whatever life throws at me, I can share it here and bring whoever might be reading it along for the ride. :)
Happy New Year, internet. Make it a good one!
Generally I'm not a nostalgic person. I'm not a huge fan of looking back at my own life, especially my childhood, and often cringe at photographs of myself that are before a certain dateline. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not because my childhood was in anyway tragic or terrible. My parents are wonderful people, and I owe the very fact that I'm able to sit here and type this out right now to their love and their persistence. I just generally feel that the person I was then doesn't quite reflect who I am now, and beyond that, having grown up with a rather debilitating heart condition, there's not an awful lot that's exciting or fun to look back on.
With that last thought in mind, and with the year only a few days old, I pondered on doing an end of year retrospective. Originally it was going to be a run-down of my favourite media released in 2013. Favourite film, game, TV show, you get the idea. But the more I thought, the more I realised that I never exactly indulged many of my great loves last year (comic books, music, books, for example) and it would feel criminal to leave them on the wayside, and also that this year wasn't really a year defined by those things. I want to look back at the things that were exciting, that helped shape the year for me, that defined the trends that crept their way into my life. After all, last year was kind of a strange one because it's caught between two of the biggest trips I've undertaken in my adult life. The first to Tucson in 2012, and the second to Seattle and beyond this year. By comparison, it would be easy to write last year off as the dull one - The inbetween days. Well, let's see how the old girl did, shall we?!
The Man-Ape Cometh!
You know what, for other people this may not even register - And considering all I said about about excitement! And meaningful events! This... May leave you scratching your head. But let me tell you something, as I look back upon the year? This little metal guy up here may have had a deceptively big influence on it.
So, let's break things down, shall we? Back in February last year, I decided to pitch in for a Kickstarter campaign for an expansion to West Wind's Empire of the Dead line of miniatures. Now, at this point I hadn't painted or even been a part of the modelling hobby in years. I was an old Games Workshop victim, having put together armies of Space Marines, Chaos Marines, Orks and dabbled in other things in days of yore, but recently? I mean, I knew where all my modelling material was, but hadn't truly touched a paintbrush or modelling file for a good, long time.
But there was something about Empire that just reeled me in. It's a Gothic horror skirmish game with steampunk elements that draws heavy on pulp fiction, penny dreadfuls and Victorian literature. I threw far more money at it than I should, and have since received a good sixty to eight minis to work on as a result, but during that time I thought 'I should get something to work on to make sure that, you know, I can still actually do this!'
So I picked up Man-Ape. A special character from the line, who is an escapee from the Circ Du Noir. Why Man-Ape? Well, he's a great gorilla in a top hat, so why wouldn't I?! And you know what, I not only had a blast, but really surprised myself as well. I decided to be brave and go completely off the suggested colour scheme and paint him as an Albino gorilla instead, and although mine looks nowhere near as good as the sample above - He turned out so well that I gained a new found confidence in my abilities. Miniature painting became a great source of stress relief and pride for me, and although not everything I've painted has turned out all that grand and I feel like there's more I could do to improve, it's thanks to this first success that I gained a hobby that would, in it's own small way, become an important refuge for me last year. One that I certainly look forward to picking up with a vengeance in the this new year.
International Tabletop Day
Another thing that would have probably been a blink and you'll miss it moment in other people's year, but upon looking back came to symbolise some good times last year! 2012 was, most definitely, the year that Tabletop gaming came to creep into and dominate my leisure time, especially when hanging out with my friends, and that was something that stayed very strong in 2013. International Tabletop Day, though? Was honestly one of the most eye-opening gaming sessions I had last year. To set the scene, International Tabletop Day is the creation of Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton and the team over at Geek and Sundry, it's a yearly event where everyone gets together and plays tabletop games and has ridiculous amounts of fun in the process. Last year it fell on the 30th of March and... All my friends were otherwise engaged.
So I took myself down to my local Forbidden Planet, and had a day gaming with a very small group of people (I think only three of us actually stuck it out until closing time, with another couple ghosting in and out) and some very charming, very dedicated staff. Let me tell you, it was a blast. I got introduced to some great new games, enjoyed a whole different dynamic compared to when I was playing with my friends and got to fight for the honour of Real Cheese in a game of Resistance, and who could really ask for more than that? Why is this so important, aside from being a really fun day? Well, mainly because it really gave me the confidence to go forth and enjoy several more gaming days, with a wider variety of people, since and to be honest, acts as my representative for all of those great gaming days throughout the year. Even when I was at my lowest, recovering from an operation, having not left the house in weeks - My friends were still good enough to get together, crack open Betrayal at the House on the Hill, order some pizzas and just have a fantastic time. Because that, at the end of the day, is what tabletop gaming is all about - One of the most fun ways to connect with people, even if those people are complete strangers to you!
Going Down to Dublin...
So last year, one of my best, and most charismatic, quirky and creative, friends got married. Now unless you go to dozens of weddings a year, which I don't, this would be enough to be a highlight of anyone's year - But oh no! It doesn't end there. For you see, it seems like it's impossible for me to go to a wedding that's actually local. In fact, the day I do go to one I'm going to be disappointed, because I've done such a marvellous job dodging the whole thing. My next wedding, for example, is in Denver, which for the trip alone is sure to be extraordinary. Last year, however, was only slightly more mundane - As it took me to both Dublin and Kildare in Ireland.
Now, I'd never been to Ireland before - In fact, I've never been to a European country before outside of the United Kingdom itself. I'd set my expectations at 'A lot like Britain, but with more Irish stuff' and to a degree that was true, but to an even greater degree it wasn't. Dublin was a beast all it's own, with more in common with other European capitals (according to my good friend and travelling companion, with the appropriate moniker of Wanderlust) than anything in the UK. I found it somewhat surreal and disorientating at first, especially as when we arrived they were celebrating the last days of Oktoberfest (at the tail end of September, yeah, work that one out!) and the city was full of Germans. Literally. More Germans than Irish people. Can you imagine such a thing in the UK? Even if it were for a few days, the Daily Mail would be wringing it's hands over this clear show of dominance from Brussels! But it went deeper than that. They had an overground tram system that, while not always reliable, was easy to access and stopped at every place of importance along a clearly marked out route. Newsagents, cafes and shops doubled up as sandwich bars - Often with a branded subway and a not-at-all branded Irish deli counter that served the same style of food, only looking significantly more edible, under the same roof. I can't help but feel we have things we could learn from Ireland, just... No adopting the currency. Not because I'm scared for our financial independence, but because it all looks so dull and boring and fake. The notes, in particular, are re-purposed Monopoly money and most of the coins are roughly the same shape and colour so you can never find the change you're looking for, but I digress.
After a couple of days we moved away from Dublin, and up to Kildare where we eventually made our way to the place that would be housing the main event - The Village at Lyonns, as pictured above. I'm not usually a person for natural beauty or getting away into the country, I'm far too big a fan of being connected to my friends all around the world for that, but The Village was truly a place of wonder, beauty and both natural and man made extravagance. I don't believe I have ever been somewhere quite so fancy in all my life, and certainly never stayed at such a place. I won't go into too much detail, but to paint you a picture of what we're talking about here - The teabags? They were silk. Silk! I mean, the tea itself was only of average quality, but still, that's a lot of effort for something ultimately destined for the bin.
As to the wedding itself, it was a night and day to remember. The ceremony was touching and sweet, I got to meet up with some fantastic new people, as well as some treasured old friends, including a friend I had never met face to face before. The reception was... Well, it was wild and unexpected. The entire night was set to the backdrop of a crashing waterfall outside, and featured such delights as a fire juggler, an Xbox gaming room, a balloon manipulator and an elderly magician who had the most wonderful personality. By the end of it, I was completely and utterly worn out. So I did the only smart thing, returned to Dublin and ventured to the local Goth club! Sadly my only Goth outing last year, but a good one! Most everyone was very friendly and kind, with some great music played and a huge buffet brought down from the pub above. Not an entirely wise way to round off the trip considering how done in I was, but a great one otherwise. What I ultimately got out of the Ireland trip though, was a desire to see more of Europe, especially Germany. Perhaps we can pencil that in for 2015 sometime. Yeah, sounds like a plan!
Where's Neil Gaiman when you need him?
And so we get into early October, and my major, solo outing for the year. Months before, at two or three am in the morning, a post had gone up on Neil Gaiman's facebook page, stating there would be a reading of his new children's book - Fortunately the Milk - In London. Now usually, I over think these kinds of things and talk myself out of going. I wanted to go to the Doctor Who Proms for example but panicked over the logistics of getting there, finding a place to stay, travelling, etc. and in the end had a good time watching it on TV with my mum instead. But not quite as good a time as if I'd been there, I'm sure. But for this one, my tired brain took full reigns, and before I knew it the whole thing was booked, with a special edition book thrown in, and suddenly I was going to London.
So I found a reasonably priced train, managed to find a hostel on the opposite side of Westerminster Bridge to the venue - Which to my surprise and delight, was only a ten-fifteen minute walk away! Then promptly forgot about it until it was nearly time to go. I have to say, right from the off, it was an experience. To focus on the event itself first, I was worried about finding the venue. I knew it was near Westminster Abby, for example, but I had no idea *where* in all that it might be. Eventually I spotted a gaggle of quirkly dressed folk forming a line that went around the block (baring in mind I was, at this point, three quarters of an hour early!) and thought 'Yep! This must be the place!'. So I joined them, got chatting to a rather charming gentleman who became my friend for the night - Sadly I don't remember his name, but we chatting about book and TV series and Ipads for primary school children (new initiative at his son's school, I don't get it either!) and even had a drink afterwards. But the main event, oh! The main event! It was wonderful. Truly. Neil Gaiman has a voice that's made to read books, and all his co-conspirators (who were also responsible for bouts of stand-up comedy and musical interludes) rose to the occasion with their readings. The biggest surprise of the evening was Lenny Henry, playing a T-Rex at the end. The entire venue erupted in cheers when they heard him, and I think the highlight of the entire thing may have been Henry's enthusiastic interpretation of the Doctor as a dog - Before the quip to end all quips, 'The BBC would sooner cast a dog as the Doctor than a black man!'.
Overall, a magical experience capped off well by the not-quite-so-surprise appearance of Gaiman's wife, Amanda Palmer, who sang a rendition of Ukulele Anthem which... May not have been the best choice for a family event like this one. The only regret I have is one I share with Neil Gaiman himself, that there weren't more children in the audience to enjoy such a vibrant and imaginative reading themselves.
The rest of the trip was a decidedly mixed bag. The hostel I stayed at, while in a good location and with the friendliest staff I've ever encountered, was missing very basic things like sinks in their bathrooms and light switches to see what you're doing of a night. There was also a rather large kerfuffle on the train involving downed trees across overhead lines and general dishonesty and incompetence for Virgin in sorting the matter, which doubled the time of my three hour journey home. But aside from that, I had one of my most pleasant trips to London proper in a long time. I found everything I set my heart to going on, including Forbidden Planet and the Sherlock Holmes museum, never getting lost once and handling travelling on the Tube almost like a native. Almost. I also picked up my now legendary Sherlock Holmes pen, which is perhaps one of the tackiest things I bought last year but I still love it! Overall this was a great boost to my confidence, as it was proof that when I set my mind to something, I could be as independent as I ruddy well pleased and get where I needed to go. I just hope, in 2014, I bare that in mind much more often.
Operation: Ark Reactor.
So, something relatively big that I don't wish to dwell on too much - On the seventh of November, I went in for major surgery. Now for most people, that would be a life changing and no doubt scary event that they would probably tell war stories of for the rest of my life. My poor mother, in fact, has recently broken her arm and it was a rather harrowing experience for... Well, both of us, especially as there was a good chance she could lose it. For me though, it was simply something I have come to regard as routine - I needed my pacemaker changed. Now, this is my... Fifth or sixth device I've had installed, the most recent being about seven or eight year ago, and while there was some measure of anxiety over the whole thing, it had almost become routine. Something I was sure they were going to get right, and they did. I'm now three months into the healing process, and although my scar is still sore, I can honestly say that the procedure seems to have gone off without a hitch.
The biggest question, however, is will it increase my quality of life? And to be honest with you, I don't know. 2013 was marked by a distinct lack of energy, frequent bouts of illness and a general sluggishness on my part. Now, I'm always struck down by bout of illness, I have no immune system, that's nothing new - But the lethargy? That was particularly pronounced. I think, had I been in better condition, I would have more exciting ventures to put on this list. I would have been to more live events, travelled to that Doctor Who prom, seen my friends in Luton a lot more often and maybe done more Goth stuff. But as it stands, that was not the case, and now I'm stuck pondering the question - Am I any better? I think the tenuous answer is yes. When I'm fit and well, I seem to be able to do more and suffer less for it, but ultimately only time will tell. Let's see how well, or poorly, I fare in this coming year and hope that being sliced and diced open for replacement parts has done me a world of good. Even if it hasn't though, this is still an important one that I can't ignore - If only for the reason that it's kept me alive! Alive to enjoy everything that's coming in the future, and alive to enjoy our last entry in this look back...
The Day of the Doctor!
Yeah, yeah. I know. Figurines! Tabletop gaming! A TV episode?! This hardly ranks alongside 'Got Married', 'Visited the Great Wall of China', 'Skydived out of a plane into a tank of sharks!' in terms of significance or excitement. But do you know what? Sometimes the smallest things can cast the brightest light, and even putting aside all the hype and the historic significance of this episode (and also putting aside the fact I'm a huge Doctor Who nerd, see last post for reference!) Day of the Doctor was one of the things last year that I got a huge amount of pleasure out of.
Now, last year was a pretty exciting one for television, no doubt. Misfits took it's final bow, in a series that got off to a rocky start but reminded me exactly why I loved it in all it's cringe-worthy,highly inappropriate glory by the end. Dexter also came crashing to it's grand finale, which seemed to divide the fanbase into more pieces than the killer does his victims, but I found enjoyable enough - Even though it was utterly ruined by those last few seconds. Black Mirror came back for three more interesting, if slightly less savage than last series, stories of satire and woe and early to mid-2013 also saw Utopia and In the Flesh. Two thought provoking, engaging, yet highly disturbing in parts creations with a real point to make. As an aside, if you've yet to watch In The Flesh, do yourself a favour and hunt it down. It's characterisation, world and plotting is the finest in the zombie genre and the story twists pack such an emotional punch it hurts. There was also plenty for my comic book geek side to sink his teeth into, with the superb second series of Arrow and the steadily improving Agents of Shield to enjoy - And you know what? Doctor Who was no slouch last year either!
So what makes Day of the Doctor so special that I'd want to single it out as one of my top moments of the year? Especially when, for my money, Adventure in Time and Space is by far the best Who related piece of media televised last year.
Well, it's because I had the great privilege of seeing Day of the Doctor in the cinema!
Now, on it's own this isn't very significant. I went to the cinema a lot last year, and I'm sure for many people it's just your average day out. But when it came to Day of the Doctor, it was different. For one thing, it was packed. And I mean packed. Our cinema is never full, at any time of day, but for this one? I am so glad I picked up my ticket early, because the queues for the till were so long that they had to set up a concessions stand in the theatre itself. It was also an absolute joy to see so many different people from so many different walks of life there, some of them in costume, some of them (like myself) in a variety of Doctor Who themed t-shirt and one woman even wandering around in a TARDIS onesie. Ultimately though, in contrast to what I was saying about Neil Gaiman's book reading, it warmed my heart to see so many children there. The thing with geek culture is that, while it's great to see it thriving of late, we've also allowed it to become rather dominated by adults. All you have to do is look at the most recent Superman movie to see what an absolute sorry state we're in right now. We have Superman, the world's first superhero, the character on which the morality of the entire genre was built on - Starring in a film that's so far removed from what an audience of children could enjoy, that it just makes me sad. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think dumbing down for children is the way to go - Quite the opposite! But I think this is always a line that Doctor Who has walked well. It knows that the true meaning of mature isn't to just make everything grim and gritty, to have every character scowling, to wreak massive amounts of destruction because that's the only possible way to up the stakes - It's smarter than that. And it shows. Because throughout the entire episode, despite being in a cinema packed to the rafters with people, a good number of them children, do you know how many times the showing was interrupted?
Not once. Everyone was glued to that thing, wooping and letting out the obligatory 'Yes!' during the bits they were supposed too, but otherwise it had their full attention. And that, my friends, is part of the reason why the day was so magical - It showed that one piece of media could capture the imagination of so many people, of so many age groups, and ultimately touch their hearts. Soppy, but true, and an experience that will stick with me for a good, long while.
Of course, part of the reason is also the company I was in. Last year was a year of fantastic cinema outings with a very good friend of mine. We've seen everything from Thor 2, to Man of Steel, to Pacific Rim, sadly missing out on seeing the Hobbit together but again, this is a trend I very much hope to keep up in 2014 and if you're reading this, thanks for being such good company over the year, my friend! It's been a real pleasure, and like I said, long may it continue!
So, that was the year that was. There are, of course, other things that have shaped this year - Rather more tragic things that I'd rather not address in what, should be I feel, a celebration of everything good that's come and also smaller things. I was asked to be the godfather to a good friends child, who I hope to finally meet this year, and was very touched to accept. I had plenty of smaller adventures with friends old and new, and quiet, relaxed time with my family. I like to think I grew closer to my eldest brother, which is nice, and on an even smaller, but still significant note, there was blind draw and Celebrity avatars. Two wonderful, weekly endeavours with friends - One where you draw a subject with your eyes closed, the other where you change your facebook pictures to that of an actor or theme picked by another in the group. Simple things, but also things that have allowed me to engage with some very good friends of mine.
So that was 2013! What does 2014 hold? Who knows! But I hope, this year, whatever life throws at me, I can share it here and bring whoever might be reading it along for the ride. :)
Happy New Year, internet. Make it a good one!
Friday, 27 December 2013
And now it's time for one last bow...
"... Like all your other selves. Eleven's hour is over now, the clock is striking twelve's."
When some people think of Christmas, they think of snow, of Santa Claus, of tinsel, and wrapping paper, and gifts, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire - Some, I dare say, may even spare a thought to little baby Jesus lying in his manger. But for me, being a rather cynical adult who spends a great deal of time with his family in any case and isn't too huge a fan of large roast dinners or excessive amounts of chocolate - Christmas has come down to two very distinct things. Finding weird and wonderful presents for the select amount of people I buy presents for and hoping to God they enjoy them, and Doctor Who. For almost a decade now, the Doctor Who Christmas special has been something of a Christmas staple and I have to be honest, for as much as I look forward to them, more often than not they're... Disappointing. For every A Christmas Carol or The Snowmen, there's a The Doctor, The Witch and the Wardrobe or The End of Time to counteract it. But I look forward to it eagerly and expect the best every year regardless because, well, it's Doctor Who! And especially in these days of series being split in half over two years, as a fan, you've got to take every precious drop of that you can.
So, new blog! New thoughts to ramble out into the cyberspace. I could do an introductory spiel, lay down a mission statement, even introduce myself - But no, I think not. In truth, I don't know what this blog is about. I don't know if it'll last, or even if I'll share it for a wider audience. Quite frankly, I'm simply bored, in need of an outlet and so desperately want to write something, anything, to pass the time. So, let's begin with something that has occupied my mind for the past month, at least.
When some people think of Christmas, they think of snow, of Santa Claus, of tinsel, and wrapping paper, and gifts, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire - Some, I dare say, may even spare a thought to little baby Jesus lying in his manger. But for me, being a rather cynical adult who spends a great deal of time with his family in any case and isn't too huge a fan of large roast dinners or excessive amounts of chocolate - Christmas has come down to two very distinct things. Finding weird and wonderful presents for the select amount of people I buy presents for and hoping to God they enjoy them, and Doctor Who. For almost a decade now, the Doctor Who Christmas special has been something of a Christmas staple and I have to be honest, for as much as I look forward to them, more often than not they're... Disappointing. For every A Christmas Carol or The Snowmen, there's a The Doctor, The Witch and the Wardrobe or The End of Time to counteract it. But I look forward to it eagerly and expect the best every year regardless because, well, it's Doctor Who! And especially in these days of series being split in half over two years, as a fan, you've got to take every precious drop of that you can.
Only this Christmas, it was different. This Christmas promised so much more. The end of one era and the beginning of a new! A capstone to everything the last three series of Matt Smith's Doctor threw at us, and the launchpad of a shining new age spearheaded by potty mouthed spin doctor, or Oscar winning director, depending on which way you'd like to spin it - Peter Capaldi. One Doctor I've come to love and admire leaves, as a Doctor I have such very high hopes for enters.
As you can imagine, my expectations were set pretty high - A situation not quite helped by such amazing, high energy trailers such as this;
And how did it do? Very well, I thought. But that's not quite why I'm here. I could talk for days about the soaring triumphs, the odd murky low and the somewhat frequent 'Hold on a minute!'s of the Time of the Doctor. But ultimately - All you have to know is this. It was a beautiful tribute to a wonderful actor who, over the course of the last few years, has crafted a Doctor with a heart of pure gold. That, ladies and gentleman, is why we're here. Because while I could talk about the special itself, I'd much rather talk about the man at the centre of it.
You see, the Moffat/Smith era is deeply important to me. I'll own up right here and now to being a rather new Doctor Who fan. I was born in 1987, the year that McCoy stepped into the role of the very last televised Doctor for more than a decade. For most of my life, Doctor Who has not been a consistent part of British television. I was aware of it, of course! As every good Briton should be! But I never grew up with it, never had anyone there to introduce me too it. Much like all the science fiction and fantasy and other worldly fiction I now love and cherish, I had to find it on my own. So when the reboot happened, and those amazing, overly dramatic trailers with Christopher Eccleston running from a ball of flame started to appear, I was there!
It's funny really, I can still remember the first time I watched this silly old show. Huddled up on an uncomfortable sofa in the caravan, watching Rose unfold on a tiny little TV screen with poor reception. Not the most glamorous of introductions, but I was intrigued enough to watch more - And by the time The Unquiet Dead hit I was hooked. I still have a poster of Chris and Billie stood in front of the TARDIS hanging proudly over my computer desk to this day. The only problem? That wonder couldn't last. By the time David Tennnat's second series was over, I was done. The magic had been lost, and the show had started to collapse for me under the weight of it's own silliness. Not just the overt silliness such as the Scooby Doo homages and large doses of Peter Kay in Love and Monsters. Nor the sappy, sentimental silliness of Fear Her. No, it just seemed like the whole universe was nothing more than a joke, or simply expendable, to both the Doctor and the writers.
Villains were brought back and cast aside with a causality that destroyed their reputation, here one minute as a galaxy dominating army only to be gone the next, never to return! Until next series, that is. The Doctor himself was also distressingly human and, worse than that, like a casual, know it all tourist who's just bored of the universe. Every time he stepped out of the TARDIS there was the usual 'Oooooooh, it's this place! I know this place!' as if the universe held no wonder for him and he was just retreading the same old stomping grounds, seeing the same old sights.To pick up the tourist analogy again, he was the equivalent of a man who travels to Asia yet refuses point blank to eat anywhere but McDonalds. Not only that, but he picked up another ugly tourist habit to boot - That if he shouted at people loud enough and made enough of a fuss, everyone would just fall in line and follow the Doctor, regardless of the fact he'd displayed no actual authority whatsoever. Unless having the loudest voice and being able to shout the angriest is a mark of authority, which in this universe it seems, was the case!
I'll raise my hand and admit that I was one of those people who ranted and raved about Russel The Davies with the same passion and intensity as the Moffat denouncers I roll my eyes at now. Yet even given the above, I have to admit I regret that now. I've come to recognise that for all the obvious chinks in RTD's armour, he brought so much to the show and we have so much to thank him for, and David Tennant himself is a fantastic actor - Something I always knew throughout his run, even if there were times I was bitter to him by association. Given the right script, that man was the Doctor. Without a shadow of a doubt.
So how did I come to that realisation? Well, funnily enough, and getting, belatedly, to the point of all this - It was through Matt Smith.
See, I may have been lapsed, but I never gave up on Doctor Who. I was waiting patiently for a new writer, a new Doctor, and when I learned that new writer was going to be Stephen Moffat - Not only the man behind some of my favourite episodes, but also the sublime Coupling, I knew it didn't really matter who the Doctor was - I was more than ready to give it another shot. And oh! I'm so glad I did. It seems cheesy to say it, and perhaps somewhat unrealistic to judge a man off an appearance that only lasted a few seconds, but I loved Matt the moment he appeared as the Doctor. While others were getting their underwear in a twist over him being too young, or his manic, spitting on the console while the TARDIS burned around him, I just remember loving his energy. The way he bounced around the set, marvelling at his own legs like they were the greatest thing in the world - It was so out there! So alien!
That one short appearance was all I needed to spark my love, my passion for this series into a flickering flame again. I watched Iplayer like a hawk and managed to watch all the episodes I missed. Finally caught such gems as Blink, The Shakespeare Code, Planet of the Ood and the first appearances of River Song, linked above. I discovered that even though series two took a plunge off the deep end, and series three often continued that trend (as well as featuring a rather bland companion who still had Rose's puppy dog infatuation with the Doctor to boot) series four was... Actually kind of good. I don't know if it was the fact that Donna, a character who was strong, independent and written like a woman and a friend to the Doctor rather than his lovestruck groupie gave the whole show a brand new dynamic that was far more enjoyable or if the ante had just been upped because this was Tennant's last full series. All I know is that, despite some of the silliness still being there, I was rather sorry I missed it the first time around.
Even so, by the time Smith's first episode rolled around I was still nervous. Just because the first little taster was a welcome change, doesn't mean the rest is going to be up to standard. But come the Eleventh Hour, I was spellbound. Smith brought everything I loved about the character back, all of Eccleston's otherworldly charm and quick, memorable one liners but added a whole other layer to it. It's hard to imagine Eccleston or Tennant's Doctor being so at ease with young Amelia Pond. Don't get me wrong, Eccleston seems to be a very soft spoken and kind individual off screen and Tennant is fantastic with children, but number Nine is so full of fire and regret and number Ten... Well, Ten is the action hero. He swoops in, solves the problems, snogs all the girls and then swoops out just as quick. There's something about Eleven, about Smith's portrayal, that allows those quieter moments more power - That gives him a more reassuring aura.
A lot has been made about his old eyes, and how his Doctor is a stuffy old professor in a young man's body. But there's much more to him than that. His Doctor is a man that wears many masks. In some respects, he's the most ancient and knowledgeable being in the room - And unlike Ten, he has the authority to back that up. In The Eleventh Hour he sends proves his credentials by sending calculations far beyond that of any human mind to the world's leading scientific officials and in A Good Man Goes to War he overthrows an army through guile, cunning and a very clever use of a lot of favours. Yet, there's another element to Smith's Doctor that often goes unappreciated - His innocence. His pure, naivete.
While he may be thoroughly brilliant in some respects, in others he's... Well, he's just from another planet. While Ten was a ladykiller, Eleven approached women like they were a whole different animal - And even when it comes to River Song, the woman he married, he approached her, more often than not, more like a naughty schoolboy than a husband or a lover. It was also clear in his fashion sense, his unusual concept of 'cool' but also in the way he carried himself. Matt's Doctor was a never ending fountain of curiosity, of wonder! You got the impression that he'd never grow tired of the universe, that he'd never stop trying to find that one little nook and cranny he'd never seen before! Even when he was retreading old ground, it wasn't met with an 'Ooooh, this place!' it was met with a 'Hey! Look at this! Isn't this awesome!'. He was constantly poking around, constantly touching his surroundings, constantly in a state of awe with the universe that to me, just felt exhilarating. His energy wasn't just in the way he sprang into a mad dash from danger, or his daft Dad dances or even the way he pirouetted around the TARDIS console - He put that energy into every expression, every movement, everything he encountered. To the Eleventh Doctor the entire universe was an adventure, and it was hard not to be swept along with it.
Of course, this is far from the end of his talents - Nor is it the end of what really made the show work for me again. I loved Moffat's new approach to story telling, how he was unafraid to use time travel as a plot device rather than just somewhere to change the setting from London to Cardiff every other episode. Or how he wasn't afraid to address the classic series in clever little asides that were just pronounced enough to be spotted, but not enough to alienate. Not to mention the wonderful array of characters introduced, from Amy and Rory, to the Patternoster Gang, right down to those we only saw for a second - Like Dorium, the space Pirates, Porridge, Brian, Canton Delaware, all of which could carry a story, and some even a series, on their own.
At the end of the day though, I owe the reignition of my love for this series to Matt Smith. I owe it to that first exciting glimpse of him wondering if he was a girl at the end of the otherwise underwhelming conclusion to the End of Time, I owe it to the way he's delivered a Doctor who is so thoroughly alien yet also so painstakingly human when it counts. To the magnificent highs of his grand speeches, be they atop Stone Henge or addressing the sun of Akhatan. To those, sometimes incredibly subtle, emotional lows. He was the old professor dawdling about the universe solving any old problem that came his way. He was the intergalactic Boogeyman to every monster in existence, saving children everywhere from the perils of the universe. He was the excitable child, snogging with confidence when he was overexcited but not knowing what to do with any single part of his body when snogged in return. He was the lonely God, crushed by death, despair and defeat at every turn - And never knowing why the Universe feared him as much as he thought they loved him.
Most importantly though, he was the Doctor. He was my Doctor. And in his final hour, as the bushy eyebrowed visage of Peter Capaldi is a-coming, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for pulling me out of the wilderness, and making me fall in love with this fantastic, absolutely barmy show all over again. Long may it grace our television screens, and long may it survive and flourish and continue to entertain me without you!
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